Looking for ways to get from Bukhara to Khiva? Here we have put together the different ways to reach Uzbekistan’s princess ancient town of Khiva. You will also find the best thing to do once you arrive, where to stay, and where to eat.
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Bukhara to Khiva distance
Don’t let the long distance from Bukhara to Khiva put you off visiting. Whilst the distance between the two is just over 465 km, there are two straightforward options to reach Khiva. The first, and most frequent, is by taxi. The second option is via a comfortable train ride. Below we have given more details of each option.
Bukhara to Khiva taxi
Getting to Khiva via taxi is quite easy from Bukhara. In Bukhara, you will need to go to Kharvan Bazaar (opposite Mohitobon Hotel), just outside of the city centre. From here you can take a shared taxi straight to Khiva city. Tourist prices start at $20 per person, but we stuck to our guns knowing full well that $10 was a fair price to pay. The staff at our hostels, in Bukhara and Khiva, informed us that the cost of a shared taxi would be $10. The journey is supposed to take 7 hours, but we managed to do it in a hair-raising 4.5 hours.
Bukhara to Khiva train
Only recently, in 2018, a railway station opened in Khiva. Previous to this, the only way to travel from Bukhara to Khiva by train, was to first take a train to Urgench, and then take a 36.4 km taxi ride from Urgench Train Station to Khiva. Since direct trains from Bukhara to Khiva started operating, travel in between the cities has become more convenient.
The train from Bukhara to Khiva only leaves on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The train leaves at 12:24 pm and arrives at 5:51 pm. A seat on the train starts from 56,150 Som ($6).
As there are only 3 trains that leave each week, we recommend booking your tickets in advance. You can purchase your tickets at other train stations in Uzbekistan, or you can book online using the Uzbekistan Railway website. Whilst the website has the option to view in English, you will still need to type the railway stations in Cyrillic. We have written it for you to copy and paste below.
Bukhara – БУХАРА 1 Khiva – ХИВА<
Is Khiva worth a visit?
Khiva city is often missed out on by travellers visiting Uzbekistan, mainly due to its long distance from Bukhara and Tashkent. It’s understandable to disregard Khiva, considering once you have experienced Samarkand and Bukhara, you may feel you have experienced the best of the fascinating architecture. This made visiting Khiva a difficult decision for us. Most people we met along the Silk Road told us they wouldn’t bother visiting Khiva. But this made us want to visit even more. And we are glad we did! The streets of Khiva are filled with ancient buildings, princess towers and cute trinket shops. The city stole our hearts.
Things to do in Khiva
During our 3-night stay in Khiva, it was so hot during the daytime, we opted to stay indoors until sunset. There were great benefits to this, as we could spend all day in our air-conditioned rooms, soaking up all the wifi our hotel had to offer, whilst sipping tea and munching biscuits. If you have previously been backpacking in places like the Pamir Highway, you would know that wifi is sparse, so we took this time to catch up on some admin tasks.
Besides that, pictures are way better taken around sunset. Khiva is magical at any time of the day, but even more so at dawn when the sky changes colours, from orange to pink, to blue, and purple. The colours of the sky make for even prettier, entrancing photos.
Khiva is filled with princess minaret towers and pretty designs. We spent hours in the evenings wandering the ancient streets and admiring the centuries-old architecture. Here are a few main sights and things to do that you cannot miss:
- Kalta Minor
- Pakhlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum
- Shop for cute trinkets at the local stalls
- Djuma Mosque
- Walk the castle walls and admire the sunset
- View Khiva from a Watchtower
- Khodja Minaret
NOTE: There is a charge to enter some of the above attractions. However, you can purchase a ticket that covers most of the attractions, from the ticket office located at the West Gate. A ticket is valid for 2 days and costs 150,000 Som ($15.90).
Where to stay in Khiva
Meros B&B – As we have already boasted, our hotel had amazing wifi and such a great relaxing atmosphere during the long hot summer days. We stayed at Meros B&B for a total of 3 nights and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. It’s located very centrally, within the castle walls. The property has a rooftop too with amazing views over the city. It’s the perfect place to relax and watch the sunset!
Each morning, the friendly staff provided us with an appetizing breakfast and cups of tea. The rooms are comfortable and have a private balcony to sit out on and relax. The staff at the B&B are knowledgeable about Khiva and can give advice and tips for your trip. We would fully recommend this place to anyone who is visiting Khiva.
For more prices and deals on other properties in Khiva, CLICK HERE.
Where to eat in Khiva
Terrassa Cafe – Terrassa Cafe is situated directly in the centre of the ancient town. It’s difficult to miss the 3-story restaurant with enticing rooftop tables that overlook Khiva’s architecture. Their club sandwiches are delicious, so much so, we came back for round two!
Khorezm Art Restaurant – This restaurant can be difficult to find, but the reward comes in the form of delicious and cheap salads. They are perfect for a light lunch! The atmosphere inside of the restaurant is also cosy, and a good place to retreat if you are out in the midday heat.
Want to see more of Uzbekistan? Check out our full backpacking Uzbekistan itinerary.
Essential resources for travelling in Uzbekistan
Travel Insurance – No matter where you’re travelling to, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re covered for any accidents or losses. We spent days and weeks searching for insurance, but most insurers would not allow us to take out a policy as we were already abroad. Our personal choice is Safteywing. You can opt for automatic monthly payments, just like a subscription. More importantly, it is available in 180 countries and can be purchased whilst already travelling. There is no cap on the duration of travel.
Visa – Before you travel to any country, make sure to check if you need a visa. iVisa is a fantastic website that is super easy and quick to use. Just type in where you are from. and where you are going. to check if you need a visa. If you do, you can quickly make an application online.
Accommodation – Booking.com is our go-to when looking to pre-book accommodation online. Booking.com tend to almost always have the best rates and a FREE cancellation policy for most properties.
Tours & Activities – If you want to book tours and activities online, make sure to check out Get Your Guide. Get Your Guide takes the stress out of booking activities abroad. You will also find a range of benefits, such as skip-the-line passes, lunch included in your tours, and so much more.
Travel tips ebook -Before you head off on your adventure, make sure to download our free ebook. It has a whopping 109 budget travel tips to help you make your hard-earned cash go further. Click here to download your FREE ebook.
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*We were hosted complimentary by Meros B&B. All opinions are our own, based on our experience.*
Uzbekistan has long been on our radar and now we will make sure that Khiva is also on the list.
We are glad you are inspired to go to Khiva 🙂 you won’t regret it!
What an amazing place to visit – those colors and the architecture is crazy!
The architecture is fascinating right 🙂
This city is beautiful! Those buildings are amazing. Though the camel gave me the best giggles
Haha the camel was just chilling in the middle of the town 🙂
I woudl love to see Khiva. In Uzbekistan, people like me, they go to Tashkent and Samarkand. I have visited UZ, but never heard of Khiva, wanna give it a try.
Really? If you go back to Uzbekistan you should deffo factor in a trip there.
It is such a beautiful city:) I am fascinated with the ancient beauty of this city:) Thanks for posting:)
Thanks for your comment 🙂 hope you get to visit one day.
I love those cities where you can chill and eat on the rooftops!! It makes for amazing views and photos.
Sometimes those little tucked away towns are less touristy and it’s often those places that we remember most 🙂
For sure, we will remember Khiva 🙂 if not for the scorching heat but it’s beauty.
Khiva looks amazing and the Meros B&B seems rather good for something described as a b&b – that rooftop is stunning. I’d love to visit!
It’s a lovely B&B. Very homely and the perfect place to retreat from the summer heat.
It’s often better to do something else that everyone else is doing. I love going off the beaten track and then you can find more authentic experiences. Khiva looks beautiful!
Khiva is a beautiful place. We are so glad we made the journey.
Such charming photos! It’s a lovely offbeat option. I love the middle eastern culture.
We love it too. Central Asia is one of my favourite regions.
I love off the beaten path destinations! You did very well that you visited this city! Lovely.. sky photos and one more place for my Bucket list!
It is a great city. I personally liked it the best! Thank you for your comment 🙂
I’ve never heard of it to be honest, but it’s definitely one of the places where I want to go one day 🙂
Glad we have inspired you to visit one day 🙂